


The Last Laugh

by Starrynight (Starrynight872)



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Batman Beyond, DCU, Red Robin (Comics), Robin (Comics)
Genre: Angst, Brainwashing, Bruce Wayne Needs a Hug, Character Death, Gen, Hurt No Comfort, I'm Sorry Tim Drake, Insanity, Kidnapping, Manipulation, Mental Instability, Movie: Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker, Tim Drake Deserves Better, Tim Drake Needs a Hug, Tim Drake is Joker Jr., Tim Drake-centric, Torture, Whump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-19
Updated: 2021-01-19
Packaged: 2021-03-17 16:01:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,295
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28851744
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starrynight872/pseuds/Starrynight
Summary: To Bruce's horror he began to giggle. He laughed as the last vestiges of life quickly drained out of him. He died with his face frozen in a twisted grin.
Relationships: Joker (DCU) & Bruce Wayne, Joker (DCU)/Harleen Quinzel, Tim Drake & Bruce Wayne, Tim Drake & Joker (DCU)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 38





	The Last Laugh

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! I hope you're having a good day! I'm posting this way later then I should be up as someone who has class in the morning. 
> 
> I promise it isn't as bad as its tagged. I wanted to make sure I covered all my bases.

To say that Tim wasn't having a good day would be an understatement. He had to sit through meetings all morning and hadn’t slept in approximately 48 hours. He was hoping for a quiet night; his hopes were destroyed when his comms crackled to life.

Oracle’s voice said in his ear, “Joker’s been spotted at the dock. There’s a weapons shipment that was scheduled to arrive earlier today, he’s likely after that. It looks like Red Robin is the closest.” Tim rolled his eyes.

“I’ll check it out,” he sighed, ”ETA five minutes.” He turned and started heading in that direction.

“ETA fifteen minutes, backup isn’t too far behind.” Red Hood chimed.

As he swung toward the docks, Tim tried to collect his thoughts. The Joker was a villain he didn’t want to face distracted. The madman was unpredictable- one wrong move could cost him greatly. 

He arrived to see Joker, Harley Quinn, and their goons taking over a boat. Red Robin jumped into action and landed on the first goon. He fell to the ground with a thud that drew the attention of those around. 

Joker laughed at the sight, “How nice of you to join the party, birdie.”

“Give it up, Joker.” Red Robin spoke as he fought the horde of thugs.

“Now where’s the fun in that?” Joker snickered and moved toward the controls.

Red Robin slipped through the criminals and ran after Joker. He took out Joker’s legs as the boat started to move. He lurched forward and nearly fell. He recovered and narrowly missed Harley’s mallet. The Joker got back up and rejoined the fight. 

Red Robin countered Joker’s knife attack and disarmed him. The knife landed on the other side of the room. Harley took another swing at him that he dodged. Joker took a few more swings before realizing that it wasn’t working. Harley distracted Red Robin with unrelenting attacks while Joker grabbed his knife. He ran towards Red Robin in a synchronized attack with Harley. He continued to avoid their attacks until their henchmen flooded the room. He hoped Red Hood was close.

Red Robin was fighting the best he could, but the exhaustion was catching up to him. Between dodging the goons and the Joker, Red Robin ended up in the path of Harley’s hammer. One good hit was all it took to knock him out.

* * *

Tim woke up strapped to a table in what looked like a room in a warehouse. It took a moment for the memories of what happened to come back to him. He groaned in irritation. 

“It would seem our little birdie is awake.” Joker walked into his field of vision.

Tim questioned, “What do you want with me?”

“Only to have a little fun!” Joker stepped closer, smiling widely.

“Batman is going to find me, and he’ll send you to Arkham.” Tim wasn’t too concerned he’d been captured a lot already; he usually only ended up with a few new cuts and bruises. 

Joker cackled, “That’s what the last birdie said.” Tim felt a chill run through his body. That wouldn't happen to him. Bruce has been more protective after Jason’s death. He would track his comm or his suit- they would come from him. Red Hood was only fifteen minutes away. Everyone on patrol is probably heading in his direction already.

“Lay off, puddin’” Harley walked into his view, “Are you ok, sweetheart?”

Joker looked irritated, “Why don’t you go feed the hyenas. Me and the birdie are going to have some fun.” He turned his attention to Tim. “Let’s see if I can get this bird to sing.”

Tim was trained to handle a lot of things, but he didn’t know exactly what Joker was planning and he hated to admit that it scared him a little. Based on how things went for Jason, he hoped that someone found him quickly.

The torture started mildly enough.

“What is your name?” Joker leaned into Tim’s space. The clown’s rancid breath assaulted Tim’s nose.

Tim responded with a blank face, “Red Robin.” Joker didn’t like the answer and sliced a small spot on his arm. Tim was determined to not show any reaction.

“Who is Batman?” The blade moved to a different spot.

“I won’t tell you.” Another cut appeared on Tim’s arm. It went on for a while before Joker started to use different methods. He disappeared for a few minutes and returned with a syringe. Tim struggled as much as he could in the restraints when Joker approached him. Joker held Tim’s right shoulder down and injected him. After, Joker moved around the room setting up one of the many machines surrounding him. He started toward Tim with electrode pads. Tim made a pitiful attempt to wriggle away. 

“The other birdie was so much more fun, but don’t worry, we’ll fix that. When I’m done, you’ll be the funnest little birdie.” Tim glared at him in the place of a response. Joker attacked the electrode pads to him then attached them to a machine that Tim couldn’t see.

Joker started walking in front of Tim “Now, little birdie, who are you?”

“Red Robin” Tim twitched at the electric current that ran through his body.

“Ah ah ah Now answer truthfully,” Joker smiled, “or I'll make it hurt more.”

“Fuck you” Tim grit his teeth. 

“Bad children get punished” The current was slightly stronger this time. Tim tensed. 

“How old are you?”

Tim answered with a glare. His hands clenched and stayed like that.

“Be careful or you’ll end up like the other little bird I took.” Joker smiled as wide as he could. Tim struggled to not show a reaction. He squeezed his eyes shut. They were coming for him; he just had to hold out a little longer. The interrogation continued until Joker got tired of not getting any answers. 

“I’ll be back tomorrow little bird. Be a good boy for your dear old dad.” He walked out the room leaving Tim alone. He wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but it seemed like it was only a few minutes after Joker left that he returned. 

“Good Morning, JJ. Are you ready for the day?” Tim looked at him full of confusion. 

Joker looked at him like he was the crazy one. “Who is JJ?”

“You of course, sonny.” Joker laughed, “Oh, Junior, you’ve always been a jokester.”

Joker continued the torture. He called Tim JJ or Joker Junior and referred to him as his son. Tim still refused to give him any answers. The more he refused the more intense the toture became. Soon, the days blurred into weeks. Tim started losing hope- he wasn’t sure how much more he could take. Training could only get him so far in the hands of such an unhinged individual.

* * *

Joker hovered over him, “What is your name?”

“JJ.” Junior said with wide eyes. Joker cackled. JJ giggled for a moment with a look of fear.

“Good boy, Junior.” Joker walked out the room. 

Tim took the time to panic. Why would he say he was JJ? He knew he was Tim. And why did he giggle? Obviously, he only did that to get the Joker to leave him alone for a moment. There’s no other reason he would say that. Maybe If he convinced the Joker he was Junior, he would let Tim go.

After that, Joker insisted that Tim call him daddy and Harley mommy.

* * *

“Now, Junior, be a good boy and tell daddy who Batman is.” Joker smiled at his ‘son’.

“Bruce Wayne.” JJ murmured.

Joker moved closer to him, “Speak up, sonny.”

Junior yelled, “Bruce Wayne!” He slumped in defeat. Joker’s face twisted into a frown before returning to his normal smile. 

“Why JJ, was that so hard?” Joker walked the length of the floor, “You deserve a treat for being such a good boy.” Joke released him from the table, but kept his hand and legs shackled. He led Junior out of the room and down a long hallway. Harley came out of the first door they passed. 

She walked next to him, “I’m proud of you sweetie. Keep it up and you won’t have these pesky chains anymore.” They turned into a room with a dining room table and what looked like a kitchen movie set. The table was already set. Joker chained JJ to a metal chair bolted to the ground.

Only once he was free and trying to eat for the first time since his capture did Tim realize that he could barely move his right shoulder. When he glanced at it, he saw that it was swollen and red. There was no way it was going to get better without medical attention. He could only hope the Joker wanted to play with his “little birdie” a while longer. Tim whimpered.

“I know JJ, but you have to be a good boy.” Joker said as he and Harley sat down. “This is part of your punishment.”

“I know you’re a good kid, you’ll be free soon.” Harley comforted.

* * *

In a few weeks, JJ was free of the chains. During that time, he quickly became accustomed to pain. It was one of the few constants in his life. It always felt like his body was on fire. Another annoying thing was the sudden shock-like jerks, but he was handling it with it. Daddy would get mad if he let anything get in the way of his training. 

Sometimes, he felt like he was betraying someone, who or why he wasn’t quite sure. All he knew was that he was a good son. Daddy and Mommy told him whenever he gave them information or listened to them without questioning them.

They ate dinner every night like the perfect family they were, and if sometimes daddy shot someone for interrupting; it was ok. Mommy would pet his green hair and help him through his laughing fits if daddy wasn’t around. Sometimes he thinks he sees guilt on her face, but that wouldn’t make sense.

“JJ, you’ve been a good boy lately. You have one last test before you can follow in Daddy’s footsteps.” Joker told him one night at dinner over a plate of spaghetti. Harley froze almost imperceivably before starting to eat mechanically.

Junior looked intrigued, “What is it Daddy?”

“You’ll come with me to work tomorrow and you’ll kill someone.” Harley’s eyes widened. Junior chuckled.

“Yes, sir.” JJ seemed to bounce with excitement. Joker smiled.

* * *

Today was JJ’s big day; he was going to prove himself. He walked into the bank beside the Joker with an identical gun hidden in his jacket. The moment they walked in people started running for the exits only to be stopped by goons. 

“Now, now, we wouldn’t want to ruin the fun.” Joker said as the henchmen tied up hostages. He looked at JJ, “Remember what I taught you, sonny.” Joker handed JJ a small gas canister.

Junior nodded and started towards a man restrained in the middle of the room. He spritzed the hostage with the gas and stepped back to watch. The man broke out in raucous laughter with a face splitting grin. His laugh made JJ start to giggle. The man’s ear splitting laughs rang out until he suffocated. 

Joker put his hand on Junior’s shoulder. “Let’s get started before we’re interrupted; this city has a bat infestation.” That was all it took for JJ to head toward the safe. Of course, it was locked. He found an employee and brough the canister into view with a malicious smile. Her eyes widened in fear as she tried to squirm away from him. He jerked like he’d been shocked and broke out into laughter.

Junior managed to stifle his giggling long enough to force out, “Open the safe.” The worker nodded vigorously. He gave her one last look with wild eyes before he untied her. She carefully made her way to a desk and entered the code with shaking hands. The door swung open and Joker shot her.

“No loose ends.” Joker explained.

JJ entered the safe with Joker; he basked in the amount of money there. The goons were right behind them with duffel bags. A few minutes later, they heard a short scream.

“Must be the bat infestation” mumbled Joker, “Junior stay here and I’ll take care of it.” Joker drew his gun and JJ continued taking money. 

JJ heard Joker call, “Junior!” from outside the safe. Junior drew his weapon and ran in Joker’s direction. When he got there, he saw Joker fighting a shadow. Something was niggling in the back of his mind. He put the feeling aside to defend his daddy. Suddenly, the shadow stopped.

“Tim?” Batman asked. JJ froze; Tim wasn’t there anymore. He yanked his hair.

The Joker knocked Batman to the ground and yelled “Kill him Junior!” JJ pointed his gun at Batman; his finger hovering over the trigger and hands shaking.

“Tim,” Bruce begged, “please don’t do it. This isn’t you. We can help you.” In that moment, Tim pointed the weapon at the Joker and pulled the trigger. Joker looked shocked before falling next to a desk. 

As Batman rushed toward his son, Joker used the desk to pull himself up. A shot rang out and Tim fell to the ground with a wet gurgle. 

Bruce screamed with tears in his eyes, “Tim, no!”

To his horror Tim began to giggle. He laughed as the last vestiges of life drained out of him. He died in seconds; his face was frozen with a twisted grin.

Bruce froze as guilt overtook him. Another child he couldn’t save, another one he’s lost. Fat tears rolled down his face as he cradled Tim’s still warm body.

**Author's Note:**

> Before my first fic in 2020, I hadn't written fiction for a few years. I finally feel like I'm starting to get back into the groove of writing. I've always loved to write, but I always end up too busy to do anything. Whether this is your first fic of mine, or you've read them all from the first a few months ago; I want to say thank you to everyone who interacted with me. Even if you just read, your support means a lot to me. It pushes me to be better and encourages me to continue writing.
> 
> As always, feel free to tell me what you think!


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